Apparatus and method for producing knitted fabrics



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,699-

A H. RuBENs-rElN APPARATUS AND METHQDv FOR PRODUCINCT KNITTED FABRICS Filed June 1s, 1925 2 sneet-sneet 1 Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,699

' H. RUEzl-:NSTEIN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed June 13, 1925 z sheets-sheet 2` Patented Sept. 1l, 192,8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

RARRY RUBnNsTEIN, oF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

Application filed .Tune 13, 1925. Serial Ne. 36,914.

The invention relates to knitted fabrics and the method of and apparatus for producing the same.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide means for and a method of making a knitted fabric possessing certain characteristic features in the arrangement and location of theloops or wales n whereby an unusual and highly attrative appearance will be obtained. h

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a circular knitting machine, a novel combination and arrangement of needles, actuating cams therefor and Other associated structural elements which will effect the peculiar loop or Wale formation producing a fabric having the desired characteristics.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a method of knitting involving means including different sets of needles, the needles in the different sets'operating in alternation and having different paths \of movement whereby to, provide or form loops or wales all or certainofwhich are inter-V ting method and means ,for vcarryingit out including sets of alternately operable needles having the usual beards automatically closed by pressers or beard closers at certain 'times \to effect interlinking of the loops or stitches, the means and method involving the omission of the beard closing means at a certain point or pointswl'iereby at periodic intervals a thread or threads will be simply laid instead of being knitted whereby a characteristic appearance in the finished fabric will be obtained.I V

Practically considered, the object of the invention is to provide ay method of and means for knitting fabrics known commercially as twill sheen and twill sheen crepe]7 which fabrics are protected by a duly registered trade mark.

To the attainment of the foregoing ob- ]ects and advantages the invention `consists preferablyin the method and the means for carrying it out to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic plan View of a circular knitting machine embodying means for producing one form of fabric.

Iigure 2 is a magnified view of one type of fabric,

Figure 3 is a magnified View showing a modified form of fabric,

Figure 4 is a vertical section through a portion of the) knitting machine illustrating certain necessary mechanical features thereo Figure 5 is a view showing two sections of the cam mechanism for moving the needles for producing the fabrics shown in Figures Q-and 3,

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on substantially the line 6 6 of Figure 5, certain elements being shown in plan,

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 7--7 of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I have illustrated, more or less diagi'ainmatically a portion of a circular knitting machine of a 'well known type. Only such parts are illustrated as are necessary for an understanding of the present invent-ion. Machines of this type include a stationary table 1 above which .is supported, as by brackets 2, a stationary ring 3 upon which are mounted segmental or arcuate plates 4 which, together, constitute a circular ring. I Suitably supported with respect to the table 1 is the rotary head 5 travelling within the confines of the plate members 4 and adjacent the inner periphery of a ring G statioiiarily mounted with respect to the table. rIhe head 5 carries the needles whichcooperate with cam devices carried by the ring 6.

In carrying out the present invention I make use of two sets of needles, those of one set being designated by the numeral 7 and having long butts 8 and those in the other set b eing designated by the numeral 9 and lprovided with short butts 10. Except in the matter of the length of the butts the needles are all similar and are lprovided at their upper ends with the usual beards 11 which catch the threads for carrying out the knit- `ting action, Operating between the succesthereon engaged within cam grooves 14 of such formation a`s to control the outward and inward movement. Machines of this type are further provided with beard closers 15 `for the purpose of closing the beards 11 so that they may enter and pass through the loops of a previously made row. In actual practice these beard closers are held in place by a' circular coil spring 16 which surrounds the head 5 and which operates to hold the beard closers out of operative relation to the needles. It is furthermore customary to provide cams 17 located at intervals for the purpose of lining up and retracting the beard closers 15 at points near and in advance of the knitting points, at which latter mentioned points are provided cams 18 for projecting the beard closers into operative relation to the needles so that they will function to close the beards as the needles move downwardly in making the loops or stitches. When the machine is in operation all of the needles of course turn with the head 5, the needle butts being engaged by cam means carried by the ring 6 for moving the needles upwardly and downwardly at the proper 1ntervals. l

For producing the fabric shown in Figure '2, I arrange the long and short butt needles 7 and 9 in alternation and provide a peculiar cam mechanism cooperating with the butts thereof for effecting knitting with the two sets of needles in alternation. Referring to Figure 1 it will be observed that the machine is designed to knit with` eight threads 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, which threads are led from any suitable source and brought through suitable guides 27 and 28. It will be observed that the number of threads agrees with the number of segments or sections and that each segment has a knitting pint located at the cam 18. The

knitting points for the threads 19 to 26 are indicated at 29, 3o, ai, 32, aa, 34, 35 and a respectively. In the carrying out of the method the long butt needles knit at the points 29, 31, 33 and 35 While the short butt needles knit at the points 30, 32, 34 and 36. While the long butt needles 7 are knitting, the short buttneedles 9 are idle, the wales or loops formed being in alternation to define or produce the particular fabric disclosed.

In order to effect the necessary needle movement I provide cam mechanism which includes sections indicated generally by the numerals 37 and 38 arranged in alternation, the number of sections corresponding to the number of threads. The sections 37 are located at the points where the short butt needles knit whereas the sections 38 are provided for operating the long butt needles. The section 37 is shown as including a cam 39 having an inclined upper face or shoulder 40 upon which ride the long and short butt needles. To illustrate the action, the path of movement of the short butt needles is indicated by the dotted line 41 and the path of movement of the long butt needles by the dash line 42. Located above and extending beyond the cam 39, with respect to the path of movement of all the needles, is a cam 43 having a shoulder'44 curved downwardly as shown at 45 for the purpose of directing the short butt needles to a third cam 46 which is located at the knitting point 30, 32, 34 or 36. The cam 43 has a downwardly inclined lower shoulder 47 located in the path of movement of the long butts so as to move the long butt needles downwardly out of the way while the short butt needles are knitting. Below the cams 43 and 46 is a cam 48 having a ledge 49 along which the long butts travel. The lcam 46 has an inclined surface or shoulder '50 which leads downwardly from the curved end 45 of the shoulder 44 and which is engaged by the short butts for moving the short butt needles downwardly and causing them to perform their knitting 4action while'the long butt needles remain in lowered and inoperative position.

The sect-ion 38 includes a cam 51 having an inclined shoulder 52 leading upwardly from a point below the cam 46 and located in such position and projecting to such an extent as to be engaged by the long butts. The cam 51 is provided with a ledge 53 upon which will engage and ride the short butts of the needles which have knitted at the cam l46. The section 38 further includes a cam 54 corresponding exactly to the cam 46 and Isimilarly provided with a downwardly inclined shoulder 55 and located at the point where the long butt needles knit. In the section 38 is a cam 56 having a projecting shoulder 57 spaced from the upper edge or shoulder 58 of a cam 59. After riding up the inclined shoulder 52 the long butts are carried along between the shoulders 57 and 58 to the shoulder 55 at which point the long butt needles are moved downwardly so as to perform their knitting action while the short butt needles travelling along the ledge 53 and along an alining ledge 60 on the cam 59 will remain in lowered and consequently inoperative or ,idle position. As stated above, the sections 37 and 38 alternate, the

``carn 39 of each section 37 being positioned to be engaged by all the needle butts after completion of the knitting action ol the long butt needles as they pass under the cam 54. From the above it will be seen that at certain periods all the needles are raised while at other periods the long and short butt needles are alternately lowered to eli'ect knitting, in each instance one set or the other remaining idle.

In the operation, it will be seen that when means@ the head 5 carrying all the needles 7 and 9, the beard closers 15 and the sinkers or pressers 12 is rotated, the beard closers are drawn back away fromI the needles by the cams 17 located in advance of the knitting points at which are located the cams 46 and 54 for moving the short and long butt needles, respectively, downwardly. The exact manner of .thread treatment or handlingl at the starting of the machine is the same as usual and assuming that the machine has been operating to a sufficient extent to start the fabric properly, it will be seen that when the butts 9 of the short butt needles 7 come into engagement with the inclined edgeof the cam 46 of the sections 37 the short butt needles are moved downwardly as indicated by the dot-ted line 41 `in Figure 5. In advance of this point the long butt needles are moved downwardly as indicated by the dash line 42 in Figure 5 and are in inoperative position. As the short butt needles 7 vare moved downwardly the beard closers 15 are forced toward the needles by engagement with the cams 18. The .threads 26, 24, 22 and 20 are of coursev engaged within the beards of the short butt needles and when these needles are `moved downwardly the beards will engage the closers 15 and be closed thereby so that the beards, carrying the threads, will enter and pass throuoh the loops 20, 26, 24a and 22a, respectivdly, of

- the previously knitted threads. Upon then moving upwardly the knitted loops are cast oi from the needles and new loops are formed. The sinkers or pressers 12 of course operate in a well known mannen The threads 25, 23, 21 and 19 engaged by the long butt needles 8 are knitted in exactly the same manner except that the long butt needles are operated by engagement with the inclined edges of the cams 54 in the sections 38, the upward and downward move'- ment resulting in the formation of the loops 25a, 23a, 2la and 19a. Referringto Figure 2 it will be seen that all the loops made by each short butt needle are interlinked and that all those made lby each long butt needle are similarly interlinked. Owing to the fact that the long and short butt needles are arranged andk operate in alternation, the portions of the threadsbetween the loops formed by the long butt needles will overlie the interlinking loops 'made by the short butt needles, the intermediate portions of the threads knitted bythe short butt needles similarly overlying the interlinking loops formed by the long butt needles. As a result the loop connecting portions of the o threads knitted by the different sets of needles Pare arranged in alternationr are staggered as clearly shown to provide a distinctive pattern.

In forming the modified -fabric disclosed in Figure 3 one 5f the beard closer operating cams 18- is removed so that one of the threads will be simply laid in the fabric instead of being actually kinitted with the adjacent` threads. For the sake of illustration let it be assumed that the beard `closer at the knitting point 33 has been removed. This one is selected arbitrarily as it is of course obvious that any other one may be removed to obtain the same effect. If the beard closinv cam 18 at the point 33 be removed it is obvious that the laid or unknitted thread will be the one indicated at 23, all the other threads being knitted together in exactly the same manner as above described. Owing to the removal of the beard closing cam at this point it will be seen that when the long butt needles engaging the thread 23 are moved downwardly by the engagement of their butts with the cam 54 located at the knitting point 33 there will be nothing to. close the beards and they consequently remain open and cannot enter and pass through the loops 25a as occurs at all the other knitting points.

As the thread 23 isnot knitted at this point` it follows that upon the-upward movement of the needlesa loop 231J is formed lying upon or against the loop 25a. When the thread 21 is then knitted in, the needles carrying itand having their beards closed at the knitting poi-nt 31 will enter and pass through the loops 25a and also the loops 23", both being then cast oii' into the fabric to form the particular design shown -in Figure 3.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be seen that I have provided a fabric. forming method and means ltherefor embodying certain known (principles of design but involving an arrangement of operatively related elements which will produce a fabric possessingcertain highly desirable characteristics in the matter of pattern.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the detailed steps in the method and the speciiic arrangement, location and correlation of the parts is merely for illustrative purposes as l reserve the right to make all such changes and modifications as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. The method of producing a knitted fabric consisting in utilizing different sets of needles having a lcertain ixed relation and knitting a plurality of threads with the different sets in alternation whereby alternate threads will be linkedtogether at points in acting only upon the short and long butts l0 respectively at intervals, the needles having beards, and beard closing means at all of the sections but one, the omission of the beard closing means at the one section preventing knitting of one thread whereby said thread 15 will be laid in with an adjacent thread.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY RUBENSTEIN. 

